Shelf-support



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

G. STIKEMAN.

I SHELF SUPPORT. No. 600,387. Patented Mar, .8, 1898.

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' 1 2) .1 A a e a: e6 4/ 4F STATES PATENT FFICE.

SHELF-SUPPO RT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,387, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed July 17, 1897.

To 0; whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE STIKEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shelf-Supports; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to shelf-supports for shelves of bookcases, library-stacks, and other purposes, and has for its object the provision of a novel shelf-support of a comparatively simple and inexpensive character which is specially adapted for use in positions requiring absolutely-adjustable shelvesthat is to say, shelves which may be adjusted to and secured at any desired height or distance apart without being limited in their adjustment by teeth or other supporting features arranged at measured intervals.

The invention I consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the principal feature of novelty being a peculiar clamping slide or bolt adapted to be operated from the front of the shelf and a slide or bolt casing which, in connection with the sliding bolt or slide, serves as a clamp to be secured to the supporting-standards of a stack or similar structure. The casing in which this bolt or slide works is adapted to be secured to the end of a shelf if a wooden shelf is employed, or it is made a part of the shelf itself if the latter is made of sheet metal; but, if desired, the casing may be so constructed as either to form part of a bracket by which the shelf is supported or itself constitute a shelf-support upon which detachable shelves may rest.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a library-shelf-supporting structure embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan and horizontal sectional view of the principal features of my invention applied to two adjoining shelves. Fig. 3 is a plan and horizontal section with a portion of a shelf attachment broken away to show concealed structural features. Fig. 4 is a front View of the ends of two adjoining shelves in supported position on uprights of the library-shelving frame- Serial No. 644,976. on model.)

work. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a por tion of the end of a shelf with part of shelfsupporting attachment. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of part of the sliding bolt of the shelf attachment or supporting device. Fig. 7 is a front view of part of a sheet-metal shelf provided with my shelf-supporting device. Fig. 8 is a modified form of my shelf-support ing device.

The framework of the stack to which my shelf-supports are applicable is of a very simple character and, while it may be varied in design and minor structural features, may be stated to consist of two main uprights or columns A A, secured to the middle parts of the basecastings B B and surmounted by the horizontal transverse bars 0 O, upon which rest the plates 0', as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 of the drawin gs illustrates astructure intended to accommodate two rows of shelves back to back,one tier in height and one length of shelf in width. Extensions of the stack in tiers and by the addition of compartments is made by duplicating or adding to the framework of one compartment the necessary supporting-columns, base-pieces, and top bars, according to the requirements of each case. Between the base-castings B B and the top bars O O are arranged the vertical strips a a a secured at their ends to the parts B B O O and arranged at equal distances apart. A series of two or more, preferably three, such strips are arranged at each end of the compartments. The supporting-columns A A are located between two sets of strips (1 a a at the end of a double compartment such as Fig. 1 of the drawings represents; but when the stack comprises two or more compartments with their shelves in line the strips a a a at the end of one compartment will support the two adjoining compartments and will constitute the supporting medium for the adjacent ends of the shelves of both the compartments. The strips a a 0. consist simply of proper lengths of rolled metal, preferably steel or iron, with rounded edges and flat sides, the dimensions being about threefourths of an inch in width and about onefourth of an inch in thickness, although these proportions may be varied, ifidesired.

D D designate wooden shelves to which (when wooden shelves are used) the shelf-supporting clamping devices constituting the principal features of my invention are applied so as to form part of a shelf itself and may be permanently attached thereto. Each shelf according to this plan carries at its ends the devices by which it is secured to the sup porting-strips a a a and by which the shelf may be adjusted to any desired position and securely fastened to the strips a a 04 The shelf-attachments comprise the sheet-metal plates E, secured by screws d d to the under side of the shelves at each end, the plates being let into rabbets 6, cut in the shelves, so that the under surfaces of the shelves and the plates E will be flush. The plates E are bent upward beyond the ends of the shelves and their upper edges inserted in recesses f in the ends of the shelves below their upper surfaces, so as to impinge against the under surfaces of the shoulder g, formed by cutting away the ends of the shelves to provide the recesses f. When the edges of the plates E are pressed under these shoulders, the elasticity of the sheet metal causes it to tightly bend against the shoulders g and hold the plates E in position. These plates E, when bent and arranged as shown and described, constitute casings for the clamping-bolts G, which are inserted lengthwise in the spaces formed between the inner surfaces of the plates E and the back of the recesses f. At intervals corresponding to the position of the strips a a a the casings E are slotted, as shown at h, and the bolts G are notched to coincide (in position of the bolt) with the slots h, so that when the slots of the casings E and the notches H in the bolts G coincide the casings and bolts may be applied to the strips a a a edgewise of the latter, so as to embrace said strips. In the outer end of each bolt G is arranged a set-screw h, which is inserted lengthwise with the bolt and works in a threaded screw-socket, so that the point and inner end of the screw will be in contact relation with the outer surface of the outermost strip aof the series of strips in the stack. This screw may be an ordinary headed and notched machine-screw operated by a screw-driver; but I prefer using a screw having a square operating end or head to which a key may be applied, and in order that the operating end of the screw may not protrude beyond the end of the bolt G, I form the latter with a socket Z in its outer end, into which socket the operating end of the key may be inserted. When a shelf provided with the bolt G and casings E at each end is put in position in the compartment of a bookstack, so that the slots h of the casing and the notches H of the bolt engage with and embrace the strips ct a a it is only necessary to apply the key to the screw h and turn. the latter until its inner end, pressing against the opposing surface of the strip a, draws the bolt G forward, causing the inner surface of the innermost of the notches H to press against the inner surface of the strip a which it embraces. As a result of this operation the cas ing E is clamped between the outer surface of strip' a and the inner surface of strip a, and by the conjoint action of the bolt and easing the shelf is secured rigidly in place.

In Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings the relation of the parts is clearly shown, and, as will be seen, when the screw h is tightened up the middle notch of the bolt and the coinciding notch of the casing simply leave space for the occupancy of the middle strip a, but at this point the casing and bolt do not necessarily impinge against the strip a. The clamping of the casing between the inner strip a and outer strip a is effected bythe slight bending or springing of the strips a a toward each other when the bolt is drawn outward against strip a and the screw h forced inward against strip a. By this means the shelf is secured very firmly in position and will sustain any amount of weight or strain to which any shelf is ordinarily subjected without being moved from its position or its security affected.

It will be observed that both the surfaces of the strips a a a and the impinging portions of the bolt G and casings E are plain; but, if desired, the surfaces, one or both, of the strips may be roughened or serrated, so as to afford an additional security against the slippage of the shelf. The strips a a a are made of sufficient width to accommodate the adjacent ends of shelves in two adjoining compartments, enabling the shelves of adjoining compartments to be brought close together. The purpose of rounding theedges of the strips ct a a is to obviate sharp angles or corners and prevent abrasion of the books which rest against the strips a a a when standing upright on the shelves.

When the shelves, instead of being made of wood, are made of sheet metal entirely, as is sometimes the case, the casings E, instead of being support attachments to the shelves, are made by simply bending over the ends of the sheet-metal plates forming the shelves, as shown in Fig. '7, and then bending upward the terminating portions, as at 70, thus forming casings similar in character to the easings E and which are adapted to receive the bolts G and are slotted in the same manner as are the casings E. The front edges of the sheet-metal shelves are also bent over to form beads M.

It is obvious that instead of permanently attaching the casing E to the wooden shelves they may be made and used as attachments to a bracket, where brackets are desirable, or, the brackets being dispensed wlth,the casing E may be made by closing the edges of the plates from which they are formed, as in Fig. 8, and forming abead or flange at m,upon which the shelf may rest. This bead or flange, however, may be omitted and the shelf allowed to rest directly on top of the casing. The casing E may be attached to or formed integral with the bracket.

I have described the strips or a a as being made of rolled metal and secured at their ends to the bars C O and bases B B, respectively. These strips a a a may, however, be made by casting a plate which will form the end of a compartment with flanges, as shown in Fig. 8, the plate being preferably an openwork ornamental structure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A shelf-endsupporting device adapted for use in connection with upright strips and comprising a notched casing, a correspondingly-notched bolt sliding within said casing and a set-screw operable from one end of the bolt, and adapted, when brought against one of said strips to draw the bolt outward and thereby clamp the strips substantially as described.

2. The combination with a shelf-supporting structure, having two or more vertical shelfsupporting strips located at different distances from the front of the structure, of an adjustable device upon which the shelves are mounted, or to which they are attached, said device being provided with jaws for clamping two or more of said strips, and a clamping-screw by turning which the clamping is effected.

3. The combination with a'shelf-supporting structure adapted to receive two or more shelves, of a shelf-end-supporting device having clamping jaws or surfaces adapted to be clamped to vertically-extending portions of said structure at two or more points situated Witnesses:

EDGAR P. REYNOLDS, ARTHUR S. WESTERVELT. 

